Bell 412 crash near Amares, Portugal

A HeliBravo Bell 412 was making its eleventh water drop on a rural fire at Paranhos, Amares, when the pilot was surprised by a 150 kV power line ahead while turning right towards the fire front. He released the water and tried to dive away, but the main rotor and then the tail rotor struck the two lower cables, and the tail rotor separated and caught in the line. The helicopter fell almost vertically. Dense vegetation and a downslope absorbed some of the impact and the pilot survived. Investigators cited the decision to fight a fire running beneath power lines, the chosen approach path, the position of the sun and disregard of the no-fly zone around the cables.